In semiconductor components having a drift zone and a drift control zone, when the component is driven in the on state, the drift control zone serves for controlling a conducting channel in the drift zone along a drift control zone dielectric arranged between the drift zone and the drift control zone. The conducting channel brings about a reduction of the on resistance of the component in comparison with such components which do not have a drift control zone.
For effectively controlling a conducting channel in the drift zone along the drift control zone dielectric, the drift control zone dielectric should be as thin as possible. On the other hand, the drift control zone dielectric should reliably isolate the electrical potentials of the drift zone and of the drift control zone in order actually to enable the above-explained control of a channel in the drift zone, that is to say that a short circuit between the drift zone and the drift control zone via the drift control zone dielectric should be avoided. In the case of components constructed in cellular fashion and having a multiplicity of drift zones connected in parallel and drift control zones arranged adjacent to the drift zones, although a short circuit between one of the drift zones and the drift control zone adjacent thereto would not significantly impair the functionality of the entire component, increased driving losses would nonetheless occur with the component in the on state. Driving losses are determined by electrical power required to keep the component in a specific switching state (on state or off state) and to change the switching state.